Hall of Mirrors
by Tricks
Summary: A vampire girl makes her way into the lives of many people, but is it possible to be just like everyone else, and keep her secret hidden?
1. Appearance entered

Hall of Mirrors, part 1.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. If I did...well...not sure what I'd do. e_e It's my first at making these sort of things, so what if they stink?! On to the ficcy!  
  
Silence and fog floated around the dark, cold, and empty building. Quiet footsteps could be heard padding around the mirrored hallway - if you were there. No-one dared to enter the building, since the last attack of a 'vampire' no-one had the courage to go in. None ever came out alive, but it wasn't the vampire's fault...was it?  
  
Oh no, of course not, it couldn't be. The vampire was only trying to survive. As you or I would have killed an animal to stay warm and eat or drink. The way you slaughter a cow, the way you chop down a tree to make fires or paper to write - it all works out one way or another.  
  
This vampire was different, though. This vampire was a mere girl. She did not age. She wasn't hundreds or thousands of years old, she wasn't a blood- lusted killer. She was just...just a girl. A girl - a normal student who went to school, once had a family, ate and drank as everyone else. Had a name, has an age, has an idenity - though poor and suspicious it may be. The sun didn't kill her, only stung slightly, but she appeared normal. She didn't own a coffin, or a haunted mansion; wore normal clothing and dressed like everyone else. Fangs she did have, but those were hidden. She hardly ever smiled...only a few times, though, did she lose control of herself.  
  
Now, she was alone in this house of mirrors, at an abandoned fair. More as an abandoned fair, which now appeared to be a graveyard. One would think it would be horrifying, but to this girl, it was home. She knew no other place to return to. She was allowed no-where else. Here, she was protected because it was more difficult to see. If she stayed behind everyone they would never see her. Though there was a huge difference between her and other vampires, there were some things that remained the same. She had no reflection, and she did have fangs. Yet something else: an owner. She was ordered to stay here, but it was tough.  
  
She hadn't had any blood from anyone else in awhile, although she didn't need it. Her kind only took blood from others when they needed it. And to her, she didn't need it if it would hurt anyone. She hated causing other people pain, and to other of her kind, she didn't deserve to be one of them. Yet born a vampire she was, and forever to remain. How long it would last she didn't know, she just knew she was there. What purpose of being alive was unknown, though. Maybe she would find it sooner or later, but wondering when she should be off to school was unacceptable, though.  
  
So she grabbed her backpack, rose from her position against the mirrored wall, and took off running towards the school. She left earlier than most, mostly because today was her first day at school. That, and she lived farther than hardly anyone who went there - and to appear normal and be on time, she had to leave early.  
  
In about half an hour she made it despite the fact that she was running. Maybe it was farther than she thought. She was in such a hurry that she ran into someone, a certain someone she would meet time and time again later on. The certain someone was Yugi Mouto.  
  
The impact nearly knocked her back, but she simply backed off a few steps. No-one should be that weak, and she didn't want to seem it either. Giving an apologetic grin down at him, she fidgeted nervously. "Sorry about that, I was in a hurry to get to my class..." the class she still couldn't find, which was why she was wandering around hopelessly.  
  
The mini teen didn't seem to be bothered at all, and just shrugged it off, standing. "It's okay! Hey, are you that new student that's supposed to be coming in? You don't look familiar...er...Sess, was it?" Keeping a smile on his face, he ignored the voice within signaling that something was wrong - very wrong. Something was different about this girl.  
  
"Ah...yeah, I am! Surprised ya could tell the difference, most people don't care. Can ya direct me to History class?" Keeping her fangs covered wasn't that big a deal when talking anymore, she had loads of practice by talking to her reflection in the mirror. Talking quietly and appearing to be a shy, polite girl kept everything normal. Just...when you seemed as shy and quiet as her, it would scare some people.  
  
A/N: Getting off subject. XD BTF (Back to ficcy!)  
  
Grinning, he nodded. "Of course! I just need to wait for my friends, and I can show you! Class doesn't start that early when new students arrive." Of course, as he said this, the usual group happened to wander up.  
  
A greeting of "Hey Yug'!" and "Hi Yugi" and so on came forth, but none seemed to noticed the girl. Or...so she thought. When the group was chatting away fro a few minutes, she found her locker which was conviently right behind her (or...rather, coincidentally), and was shoving a few things in. Of course, naturally, her kind cast no reflection - and this attracted a little attention.  
  
Tea was first to point it out, but spoke in tiinnyy little whispers that Sess had no reflection. Sess heard her perfectly well, and frowned slightly, but the usual polite grin came up and you wouldn't notice. She ignored the whispers and stares behind her, and turned with her History class books in hand. "What...? Somethin' wrong?"  
  
"Ah...|er...|well...|ya don't...have-| um, you don't have a..." After a few minutes of stammering, everyone shut up as she wanted them too, without her asking. It made her uncomfortable being around people because of this, because if they saw her without a reflection, they stammered and got freaked. Surprising, to Sess, none of them ran off. Oh well.  
  
As told, she was taken to class by the group, and waited patiently outside before the teacher called her name to be introduced. Stepping in, she gave a smile and a little wave. "So, tell us about yourself, Sess...er...?" "Minasona." "Yes, Ms. Minasona."  
  
"Alright!" Brushing a few loose strands of hair away so her right eye could see, she thought a few lines through in a seconds. "You can all call me Sess. It's my first time here in Domino City, and it's nice to meet you all. I'm sort of living by my self, but I'm allowed to do that, so I make my own decisions. Er...I have a dog named Blitz, who is waiting outside the school right now, and...I can't think of anything else." ^.^  
  
"That's very nice." The teacher had given her a strange look when she mentioned she 'sort of lived by herself', but none more or less. Given permission to take her seat, Sess sat in the very back, in the shadows, where the light wouldn't make her skin feel like fire. So far, the class had gone well. No-one had really discovered her secret, but even so, something made her nervous. It was when she got near that boy...Yugi. Something was odd about him, but...what...? 


	2. Quiet thoughtfulness

Hall of Mirrors, part 2.  
  
Disclaimer - Naw...*sigh* I still don't own Yugioh. u_u Blast it!  
  
~~~~~  
  
After school had finished, Sess had planned to head back home quickly. It'd take maybe another half hour or so, really depending on how fast she went. Maybe if she hi-jacked some motorcycle...naw...that was wrong.  
  
She was disturbed from her thoughts when she heard a call behind her as she was turning around. "Hey, Sess!"  
  
Mumbling slightly to herself as so no-one would hear, Sess turned with a smile. It was (the dreaded) Tea. The fashion statement girl that babbled about friendship. How annoying. "Sess...?" "Hellloo?" Sess nearly freaked when she was burst out of her thoughts again, when she saw Tea wave a hand in her face. Everyone nearly snickered, but cut off when she gave a pouting glare.  
  
(A/N: However you can pout and glare at the same time, it's possible. ^.^ BTF!)  
  
"Eh, we're sorreh 'bout that, but weez (Don't ask, it's his accent! I swear! @_x) were wonderin' if ya's would like to hang out with us for awhile." Sess snickered at Joey's accent, keeping a smile on her face. "Maybe another time, I had plans for this afternoon...sorry?"  
  
As much as Sess would have loved to have company, she really needed to get back. Master wouldn't be pleased seeing that she was gone so late. She was already late. Anymore would mean big, big, big trouble. She didn't want that, no-one would. Darn. She hated being late.  
  
Shrugging, the little group wandered off after bidding Sess farewell for the week. After they were out of hearing range, Tea started babbling on about random subjects. "Ya know, she seems pretty nice...just so thoughtful and quiet. I wonder why? It's not like she's got anything to hide. (^.^) She could be a good friend! Why don't we invite her to a sleepover or something?" All the guys nearly fell over. "Er...Tea, don't -girls- do that kinda stuff?" "Oh."  
  
--  
  
After Sess had gotten back to her 'home' she had received much expected company. "Girl, where have you been? YOU WERE LATE!!" She'd taken some time and walked home to think to herself, forgetting the time limit she was due often. Stuttering to herself, Sess struggled to attempt to find something to say. "I-I'm s-s-sorr-ry...I-I j-just f-forg- got..."  
  
Her 'master' seemed to be disgusted with her - what he believed was a - weak condition. Smacking her in the head, he seemed to vanish from thin air. Sess rubbed the back of her head and dumped her book-bag (or whatever you call it...) somewhere off in the corner, sighing.  
  
If things could get worse, it started to rain. No, actually, pour. A few flashes of lightning struck out from the sudden downpour. Sess grinning to herself, no-one would see her fangs now. Stepping out into the rain, she let it wash over her, just wishing all would be cleansed. For what unknown reason to mankind, she started to sing.  
  
'I can feel the blood flowing from your heart  
  
I'll make the pain dissolve  
  
Into tying binds of loving care  
  
That's sure to save your soul  
  
I can feel the crystalline tears pouring down from your eyes  
  
I'll give you a tender kiss  
  
And end all pain now...'  
  
The rain continued to pour, and Sess curled up near the door of the dusty, old building, humming herself eventually to sleep.  
  
~~~~~  
  
o__O Yes. I am weird. MWUAHAHAH. In case you people didn't see my reply to your review, I had previously replied to someone who asked how she practiced talking in her reflection if there were none. I'm making it so only she can see her own reflection, and she'll learn how to show it too! ^-^ Maybe that'll clear things up. Naw, I don't think she'll bite anyone...yet. ^vv^ = vampy! 


	3. A Rainy Nightmare

Hall of Mirrors, part 3.  
  
Disclaimer - I still don't own Yugioh, and if I did, I'd play tea party! XD  
  
~~~~~  
  
A crash of thunder woke Sess from her somewhat-comforting sleep, although being haunted in your dreams wasn't so comforting, though the fright wore off over time. Back to the subject, it was still pouring a lot, and you could say that the place was flooded. It was most likely fortunate that Sess wasn't really affected by the rain - she wasn't prone to sickness so quickly. Yet, even for any vampress or vampire, being flooded was no enjoyment.  
  
Lifting herself up, Sess brought a hand to her head, hissing slightly. She had a faint headache. Grabbing her backpack, she literally just flung it inside, and trudged off to see if she could find the cafe so she could get something warm to drink. You couldn't expect to find anything warm to drink at her 'home' anyways.  
  
After some torturous minutes of walking in the rain, Sess finally arrived at the Café, stumbling in. She was soaked to the bone from walking, but to be honest, didn't really care. And if she was dripping water over the tiled floor, the janitors could clean up, right? Right.  
  
Plopping into a cushioned seat, she brushed some loose strands of hair from her eyes, and, glancing at the menu, ordered hot tea. The only other thing she'd want to drink was cocoa, but that was too thick for her. Why did people like cocoa anyways? It would only rot your teeth, it was way too sweet and unhealthy, and was so...brown, dirt-like. She remembered trying it once, it was too...well, she didn't know, she just didn't like it.  
  
Much to her discomfort, Sess felt a presence sit besides her in another chair, and a finger poking her in the side. Not really in the mood for games, Sess swiped the offending hand away from her with her own, muttering about rude idiots.  
  
To Sess' surprise, it was the 'midget' as she thought when pessimistic, Yugi. She would have growled, but keeping a cheery attitude was nearly perfectly habitual and a rule - never let anyone see how you really felt when you were down, it would never pay off, actually...though it did build up some stress.  
  
Smiling apologetically, Sess smoothed back some of the annoying hair that continued to fall over her dark eyes. "I'm sorry...I was just getting soaked in the rain, it bothered me - I didn't mean to swipe at you." Yugi didn't seem all that upset, though his hand was slightly red from the force of the hit. "It's okay! My friends and I happened to see you come in, do you want to sit with us?"  
  
It was only then did Sess realize that, indeed, was the group watching her and Yugi talk. It made her want to die - she hated being watched so closely, it was frightening. This was something she had never been able to get over. Besides that, they would talk too carefree, and ask her too many questions. There wasn't anything to loose though.  
  
"Sure! Can you wait until I get my tea, though?" Sess smiled a little more, but forced it. Boy, this could be hard sometimes, feeling like a Barbie doll, smiling always, away from 'home'. "Alright! Come on over when you're ready!"  
  
A sigh of relief was let loose as Yugi returned to his table with his group of friends. Why did they pester her? Oh well. Sess had no time to think as the waitress came over and gave her the nice warm cup of tea. Taking a little sip from the cup to make sure it was as she wanted it, which it was - honey flavored and herbal -, she trudged over to the group's table, not really wanting to go, but not wanting to seem suspicious.  
  
Amazingly, the group didn't really bother Sess with anything, and just talked to themselves for awhile. This gave her some time to think and warm up with the tea, after all, who wouldn't want to enjoy this when they had gotten soaked to the bone with freezing water?  
  
Glancing at her watch, Sess realized she had been here for nearly an hour. Master wouldn't be so happy about her sudden disappearance for the long period of time. Flinching as Sess thought of the results when she returned, she set her cup down, standing. "I think I should head back to my house." House? Ha. That was an excuse, but she needed to go before her punishment would worsen...unless Master hadn't noticed she had gone - but he rarely missed that, and Sess didn't feel like taking her chances.  
  
"Where do ya's live, huh?" The annoying mutt (and guess who) asked the question, nearly causing Sess to spit out her last sip of tea. "Er...where do I live? Um...nowhere special! Uh...it's really far! Yeah! I should get back now!" Bowing her head, Sess shifted and moved out, reaching the outside of the door faster than she thought she could. And, with no second though, bolted down the sidewalk to the 'house', not noticing she was getting soaked again, and most likely would get sick. No-one was utterly invincible, after all.  
  
--  
  
The group had been somewhat suspicious when Sess had taken a sudden leave. Though they knew the girl appeared shy, there was no reason for her to run like she was being hunted down by an angry mob.  
  
"I think she's just shy." Tea stated, more to herself, since no-one was really listening...thankfully. Honda and Joey just whispered to themselves, and Yugi was thinking to himself, maybe his other, darker half.  
  
In fact, Yugi did have 'the look' of I'm-not-listening-I'm-talking-to- 'him'. Just who was the girl? It disturbed him so much, she wasn't human, she wasn't a spirit, though. She was just...strange.  
  
--  
  
Panting heavily, Sess had reached her place in record time, fifteen minutes. It would usually take at least twice as long, but she had been running quite fast to get away. Now she was completely exhausted, and collapsed just inside of the door of the building.  
  
Sess didn't notice that her Master had been waiting for her. The last thing she noticed was a rather hard metal object on the back of her head, and unconsciousness.  
  
~~~~~  
  
^^" I hope this chapter is okay! Meow! Please review if you want, if not, have cookies! 


	4. A night of mystery

Hall of Mirrors, part 4.  
  
Disclaimer - If I ever -do- own Yugioh...well, let's leave that to your imagination. n_n"  
  
Note: =D I have decided to start naming people in the group as I see fit. It's MY story, so YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. AHAHAHAHAHAH.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Sess awoke with a faint groan. There was a nearly unbearable throbbing pain in the back of her head. She tried to recall what the source of the pain was. She remembered running back here out of uncontrolled fright. Then she was knocked in the back of the head with something hard - most likely a metal object. It must have been her master. Undoubtedly he was furious at her absence for that long.  
  
Shifting, Sess found that she was still soaked, bound by the wrists and ankles with chains, and still in pain - though it had faded a considerable amount. She struggled slightly to see how tight the chains were, and found them well tied. Sess sighed at this. It wasn't wise to have gone out, she knew it, but she ignored what warnings came from the knowledge she possessed, if any.  
  
"Hello...master?" Sess called out, quietly. There was no reply. She listened as hard as was possible, and only heard her words bounce and echo off the walls. Another sigh came forth. She shut her dark eyes and concentrated on something other than the pain in her head, and now on her wrists and ankles, from struggling. To add to this misfortunate incident, she sneezed. She was sick. And she was alone in the dark.  
  
--  
  
(A/N: If I get anything wrong, you can't sue me. One: I haven't had the chance to watch Yugioh anymore, or see the inside of the game shop, because the rotten TV cable people are mean, and keep switching the show off. That, and when it was on, there was one episode once a week. Sigh. . So I'll make this up. If you have any complaints, blame and sue the cable maniacs. BTF.)  
  
The usual group hung in the back of the game shop, watching the rain pour out from one of the windows. Yugi and Joey were practice-dueling, Tea was daydreaming about a certain someone (though, thankfully, we may never know who that someone is), and Tristan and Bakura talked about how odd Tea looked now daydreaming - how she looked like a screwed-up painting. (A/N: No offense to what Tea fans exist out there. I am...BANANAS. BTF)  
  
"And my Feral Imp takes out the rest of your life points. Sorry Joey, I win again." Yugi giggled a little, another battle an obvious victory for him. Joey slumped down in defeat, grumbling. "Man, I almost won!" "Almost, but you didn't! Keep trying and you'll get it!" They both shoved their decks back into their pockets, and eyed Tea nervously. She was mumbling odd things. "Purple and blue..." They made faces, as well as Tristan and Bakura, who were doing the same.  
  
(A/N: Have you noticed that Yami's and Seto's favorite monsters are the same colors as their eyes? |Dark Magician = purple = Yami's/Yugi's favorite. Blue Eyes White Dragon = Blue = Seto's favorite.| I just thought I'd point that out, I got the idea as soon as I wrote this. O_o" Odd, huh? BTF)  
  
They guys huddled back into a group, minus the daydreaming Tea, fortunately. "So, what do you think of Sess? She's an oddball, isn't she?" Tristan commented. "I dun know, she seems ta' be new here, still. Maybe she is jus' shy like Tea said." The mutt shrugged. (And we can all guess who that is.) Bakura shook his head. "I think she's uncomfortable. You can't expect her to open up immediately." Joey shrugged. "What do ya' think, Yug'?"  
  
There was no response. How could there be when the person in question wasn't there? "What?" They simultaneously shouted. Tea was still in her daydream, oddly enough. Good thing she wasn't making an effort to let out her annoying voice of friendship speeches.  
  
--  
  
The tri-colored-hair duelist was wandering down a street. The sudden urge - though it may have been - to leave, was powerful. He couldn't ignore it. It also allowed him to think clearly, without having to waste energy in concentrating on it.  
  
/So what do -you- think about Sess, Yami?/ \I don't know, Aibou. I can't say I don't like her, but all the same she bothers me...\ /Bothers you? Why?/ \I don't know. I can't say. I'll let you know soon enough.\ And that was all Yugi could get out of his yami; oh well.  
  
(A/N: Just to let you know, /blah/ will be Yugi talking to Yami, and \blah\ will be viceversa, or the other way around. For stupid people, that means \blah\ is Yami talking back to Yugi. This is all in their mind link. BTF)  
  
"What aren't you telling me, Yami? I know you know something's wrong...what are you hiding...?" Yugi sighed and walked down the street, back to the game shop, breathing in the night air with some depression hanging around him. A shuffling noise sounded behind him. When he turned, there was nothing, but what made the noise came from behind him, and cast him into a portal, where he landed on a hard floor, going unconscious.  
  
--  
  
Sess lifted her head up at the sound of a thud, resisting the needed annoying feeling in her throat to sneeze. She had the urge to curse at whatever made the noise, which she discovered to be in front of her. No sound came from her mouth, and her eyes widened.  
  
There on the floor, in front of her, was the amethyst-eyed duelist.  
  
~~~~~  
  
GASP, the MYSTERY. =D Looks like master is making a lot of achey-shakies on people! O.o And fear not! All remain safe for now! o_o And did I get "Amethyst-eyed" right! XD I have no idea. HELP ME. 


	5. Escape

Hall of Mirrors, part 5.  
  
Disclaimer - I still don't own Yugioh. I can't even watch the show because the people here are mean. Give me money so I can secretly hire people to beat them up? *could do that myself but is lazy* 8O  
  
Apologizes: I'm so sorry I haven't updated in awhile, I've been somewhat busy, so I have to say I'm sorry. *bow* =3 I really appreciate your encouraging reviews, too. *bow again*  
  
~~~~~  
  
To say Sess was alarmed was a misunderstanding. To say Sess nearly had a heart-attack was pretty close. One, she hadn't expected her master to bring back anyone with him. He rarely did that. Two, she knew what he expected of her now. He wanted to...well, feed. She didn't want to-no, she couldn't.  
  
When she glanced up at her master (who had so sneakily emerged from the dark shadows), and a look of fear passed over her face. "Master, why...?" She whispered, knowingly very well he could hear her. "It's very simple, my dear. You haven't fed in awhile. I want you to try, alright?" He gave a smile, although not a comforting one.  
  
Sess knew if she refused, there would be hell to pay, most likely. She couldn't just...feed, though. "I'm sorry, Master...I...I can't." He approached her slowly, each step he took driving more fear into her very soul. "Master...?" Her "master" promptly backhanded her, the force knocking her back into the wall.  
  
She winced, feeling more pain shoot through her body. It was nothing she didn't expect, but the pain was worse than she had imagined. It -had- been awhile since her last punishment, being as obedient as she had for so long. "I expect you to obey me without hesitation or comments. Now do it." Roughly ripping off her chains, he shoved her forward to the sleeping human.  
  
By now, it had been a while since Yugi had been brought to the building. He was beginning to wake up. Slowly, but nonetheless waking up. Sess stared at him nervously. Her master crossed his arms and disappeared back into the shadows. Sess knew he'd be checking on her every now and then, and that she a limited amount of time to complete his orders.  
  
Frowning, she crawled over to Yugi, unsure of whether or not he had been harmed. After a thorough check, she sat by him, a great frown settled on her face. 'What am I to do? I can't feed on him, but I can't... just -not- feed, it just isn't done.' She thought to herself. Absent-mindedly running her fingers through the short male's hair, Sess sighed.  
  
A groan startled her, causing her to fall back; to scamper back into the shadowy corner she had been tossed into earlier. "What...what happened?" A quiet voice whispered to themselves. Sess approached Yugi, cautiously, not wanting to frighten him. No doubt the poor guy was scared to death already.  
  
"Are you alright?" Sess placed a hand on his shoulder, frowning. Yugi turned a screamed quite girlishly and loudly. "Yaarrgghh!" "Aaaah!" The two screamed their lungs out for a couple of minutes. Sess hissed, and Yugi pointed, both yelling simultaneously at each other. "What are -you- doing here?!"  
  
"Wait, wait, calm down." Sess waved her hands in front of her, desperately trying to shut Yugi up before her master got far too upset and took the matter upon his own hands. "How did you get here?" She shifted position to sit more comfortably besides him.  
  
Yugi stared at the ground, very confused now. "Well...I'm not sure, exactly. I remember being taken here, that's all." He rubbed the back of his head, feeling a nice, painful headache coming on. Grimacing at the thin layer of warm, crimson liquid on his hand, he frowned. "Where are we?"  
  
Sess twirled a strand of hair around her fingers nervously. "Well...we are at a deserted house of mirrors." She grew hesitant to answer any of his questions. Furthermore, with her master watching her every moment now, wherever he may be, she was afraid she'd slip and he'd reveal her secret.  
  
"Oh." The two remained silent for a period of time. The short male decided to break the silence. "Why are you here?" The question was left hanging. Sess did not answer him, mostly because she had no desire to. Finally, she decided to reply. "I don't know." "Oh...alright, I see."  
  
As time passed, Sess grew more anxious. Her master would soon make a move if she didn't. Yet she hadn't bothered to do anything to Yugi, and nor would she ever - if she could help it. With every passing second, though, she found the scent of blood so tempting and appetizing. It was hard to resist, really, but she managed.  
  
Strolling to the door, although knowing well she couldn't leave, Sess stared out of it quietly, lost in thought. Yugi had fallen asleep. Whether of his own will or not, Sess didn't know. She slipped past Yugi into the corner of a room, silently climbing up a steel ladder onto the loft.  
  
"I can't." She whispered to herself. Yugi was too kind for her liking. Even though she understood he -knew- she was lying in parts of what she had told him, he said nothing and accepted what answers she had given him. She sighed, curling into a fetal position. Unaware that her master approached her from behind, Sess had no time to react when he struck her halfway off the edge of the loft.  
  
A hiss of pain escaped her lips. Now a streak of crimson was smeared on the loft floor. The blood dripped from a thick wound on the under side of her arm. It appeared that the edge of the loft's floor had cut her. With a little struggling, Sess managed to stand, swaying now and then. Her master stood over her, clearly enraged.  
  
"I gave you a chance you didn't deserve, and you disobeyed me!" He struck her down, but Sess had expected another strike and had a chance to keep from taking a full amount of damage. "If you don't do it, I'll do it myself!" Sess's eyes widened. "No!" Before she had a time to react, her master had already made his way down to our short little student.  
  
Sess was in fast pursuit. She made it down the loft in a time of three second. Her master hadn't quite reached Yugi, thankfully for them. An invisible barrier surrounded him, keeping her master out for the time being. And although the barrier was strong, it drained her energy slowly, though it went through a long cycle so it would return to her.  
  
When her master approached her, she let out a fit of rebellion and kicked him in the gut, knocking him back. While he lied on the ground, stunned, Sess took the opportunity to go through her barrier (1) and grab Yugi, hauling him over her shoulder.  
  
Letting the barrier down, she took off running as fast as was possible out, past the abandoned fair, and to the city, where she knew her master wouldn't dare go after her, so long as she remained with people, in the light. But that was only if she could make it. And as she had left, all hell broke loose behind her.  
  
~~~~~  
  
1. Just so there aren't any misunderstandings, the owner of a vampire's barrier (in -this- story, anyways) can go through it. 


	6. A double take

Hall of Mirrors, part 6.  
  
Disclaimer – I don't own Yugioh and have no interest to anymore; I'm looking to own a certain pretty boy who's my blue-eyed angel...@@" Hahah.  
  
Apologizes: I really –am- sorry that I haven't updated as much as I could have. I'm on my final week of school and exams are coming up. X__x I'm like, dying here people. Don't push me. Hehe.  
  
Notes: This chapter is going to be weird as I have lost my mind. I actually have a –plot- for this thing now. Wow. I never had one before, if you didn't know; I never do. xD And if I slip up on some things or personalities; hey, I said before: I didn't get to watch all the series and show episodes.  
  
--  
  
Reviews! – I'm going to personally respond to reviews I see fit. XD  
  
Code: Re – Review Res – Respond  
  
Re: ArtBell2005 - Stop dissing Tea! I don't care what you think, that "friendship speach" that she gave Kiba after he beat Yugi on duelist kingdom was cool.  
  
Stop dissing Joey! He is not a mut, I don't care if he's Japoneese with a Bronx accent, he's the third best character on the show.  
  
Oh and "Honda" is a car, not Tristan.  
  
Switch to Broadcast.  
  
Res: Well, ArtBell2005, here's the deal; I don't give crap what you think either. This is –my- story, and if you don't like it then you shouldn't have read it. Flaming me would result in nothing more than a retaliation at the moment. You chose a really bad time to review when I had a lack of updating my fiction, do you think? I suggest you learn to review more maturely, and more literate-like; You have misspelled at least four words: speech, Kaiba, mutt, Japanese. I'm not sure about Bronx.  
  
++  
  
Re: Rikku - *grabs some popcorn and sits down* more? please? o_O I really have a lack of good fics these days. Congrats! your fic made the fav list ^_^. Please update soon 'cause I'll prolly keep checking back here...  
  
It's really great ^_^  
  
. That is all... Fatal... Frame... II... Sae's cool...  
  
o_O don't worry, I'm just hyper.  
  
Res: ^__^ Thankee for the review! (See, I can be nice!) ^__^" I'll try to update more often when the urge to scream from school is done, in about a week if you read the Apologizes. ^^ Ooh! Favorite list – I'm so happy! *squeals* =3 Thanks for liking it! XD Fatal Frame II? I'll have to check that out...  
  
+Fic!+  
  
It seemed like hours had passed since Sess had made her breakaway from her Master. Even in her weak condition, she had managed to carry Yugi off with her. Now, in the middle of the city, Sess was alone, tired, and lost. Each step she took brought her further into the heart of the city, a place she had never been – not to mention that it was at night now and that she could only make out outlines of buildings and objects. (1)  
  
Her eyes glanced over everything, and coming to a dead-end in the alley, she dropped Yugi and slumped against either side of the cement-brick walls. 'Running is a lot harder than I imagined.' Sess murmured to herself in her mind, tracing wrinkles over her pants. 'No doubt Master is coming for me. I took too many wrong turns and I'm in total darkness and solitude.' The vampire fledgling raised her head up and stared at the stars twinkling in the sky, licking her lips.  
  
'Feeding sounds so good.' She thought to herself. In truth, Sess was very hungry, but always resisting the urge had become a habit. 'I might be the first vampire to starve their self to death.' She mused to herself, making an effort to form a weak smile. Lost in own thoughts, Sess was unaware of Yugi's stirrings.  
  
"Where are we?" The voice nearly caused Sess to scream – we say "nearly" for she managed to keep quiet. She was so laid back that she hadn't expected Yugi to wake up; or, rather, it wasn't Yugi exactly. The Yugi she was used to, was not so tall, didn't have a deeper voice, and didn't look so...dangerous, or menacing, for a lack of official words.  
  
(2) 'Is this a double?' Sess stared blankly at the "double", the darker side of Yugi that usually rested in the Millennium Item. 'He's tall.' For a lack of brain, Sess noted to herself that the yami was simply "tall", and realized nothing of the sort that he was actually demanding an answer for his and his lighter half's sake. 'He's not stupid – no sense in lying...' Another thought crossed Sess's mind, and a rather depressing thought; used to being abused by her master, she figured no matter what she said she was getting a hit. "We're lost in the city, actually." Sess cringed.  
  
The dreadful silence hung in the air, and a pause seemed to cut the scene.  
  
"So we're lost, that's all?" Sess would have died. 'He's not going to hit me? I'm alive? I missed out nice people for my Master?! I'm a nut!' She ranted for a while, simply nodding her head in reply, the blankest expression claiming her face for the while.  
  
Another silence hung in the air.  
  
She replied, finally. "A little more than just being lost, but that's to come later." Licking her lips, Sess glanced up to the edge of the building, where the roof would be. Perchance the darkness and moonlight was playing tricks on her, but she thought something moved. 'He couldn't be here already, he couldn't be.' She reassured herself, crawling to her feet with the help of the wall.  
  
"You don't happen to know the way around the city, do you? I really haven't gone out much." It was no effort for Sess to keep the abandoned house of mirrors out of her mouth. She detested the place as much as she detested being a vampire. Unfortunately for their location condition, the answer was: "No." Apparently the yami was more of the person to stay in their shelter. 'Doubles are so odd.' She mused.  
  
A low rumble of a car informed her that a vehicle was approaching. 'It's definitely not Master; he doesn't take cars and things.' The car was barely visible in the shadows, and was black. 'It's those long cars...a limousine.' Sess thought to herself, squinting. With the right amount of effort, she could make out that someone was peeking through a window, and that was quite scary if you didn't know who that someone was. And it was scarier for her, because that someone had stepped out of the car and was approaching the "double" and her.  
  
"Yugi? I never expected you to be out here with...the new girl from school." The voice was mostly a whisper, and Sess didn't really recognize it. 'Who is that?' She wondered, quietly, and to herself as she always did.  
  
"You can say that I got into something interesting." Was the reply.  
  
"Really, you'll have to tell me; I rarely am asked to find someone's friend, actually comply, and then go through the city to find them in an alleyway looking like they were mauled. Care to take a ride back?"  
  
"I wouldn't mind, Kaiba."  
  
'Kaiba? Seto Kaiba?' The name flickered in Sess's head. 'I don't know this person, but I have a feeling I should.' In reality, not known Seto Kaiba was almost blasphemous, but Sess wasn't a person who lived in reality, so perhaps she would be excused. She was left in the dark, literally, wondering what was going on.  
  
"And your friend here, does she mind?" There was a slight pause before friend, as if the wealthy male was suspicious of something.  
  
"I don't mind." Sess blabbered out, eager to get somewhere safe, where she could hopefully rot away and die in some sort of peace.  
  
"Then let's get going. No doubt Mokuba is staying up, worried about me."  
  
Sess watched Kaiba and the "double" start to go back to the vehicle, before following uneasily. 'I wonder what will happen.' She couldn't help but glance up back at the roof-top, and doing so frowned. 'I'm sure there's something up there after all.'  
  
+End chapter 6+  
  
1. I'll have that she's a beginner vampire and hasn't evolved into a stage, so that she can't really see with "night vision" or something.  
  
2. Sess's Master knows about the items and calls the yamis, or darker halves, "double". Which is basically true, if you think about it, and Sess doesn't really know – she's never seen a "double".  
  
+Questions+  
  
1. Should there be pairings? If so, which ones? xD  
  
2. Are there parts that do not make sense in this chapter? If so, let me know in the review!  
  
3. What do you think of Sess so far? 


	7. Winter's chill

Hall of Mirrors, part 7.

Disclaimer – I don't own Yugioh and I don't think I ever will. HAH!

Apologizes: I'm so slow. Ox Argh. And the fic is turning more into crap.

Notes: Chapters will still be slightly twisted and tweaked but they may not seem to have plot. It's winter now, for no particular reason.

Reviews! – I'm going to personally respond to reviews I see fit. XD

Code:

Re – Review

Res – Respond

Re: WoOt! (see, I told you I'd be checking back ) lol. Cool chappie, tilts head Sess ish so kewl! XD no really, she sounds really cool . Anyways, questions... yes... questions...  
1. Pairings. Gee.. JoeyMai... um... -.-;; I don't really want to inflict Tea on anyone, and she's about the only other girl in the entire thing. Serenity and... . I dunno.  
2. Parts that don't make sense... well, there are a few little gramical errors that I caught, but nothing huge.  
3. Sess. As stated before... SO COOL huggs I still like Sae, but for an OC, she's so kewl . That ish all  
Keep it up!

Res: :3 Yay for reviews! Reviews are what plug me on, people, so send them in! CLICK THE BUTTON! ; Thanks about Sess, I think she's a few years old now in the real life! XD – Pairings will be noted. ; I'm working on Grammar, and I might have to do research on Sae. xD Thanks! (I have forgotten to research the game. Xx)

Re: THETWOTERRORS - clap clap clap Wonderful! loving it!  
I'm personally not very fond of pairings but it is your ficcy, you do what you see fit and I'll read. I could understand the chapter very well and I really think Sess is an awesome character  
and apluade (yes, I know I spelled that wrong.) you for your great creativity!

Res: ! Thanks to you! Pairings are just for entertainment and it makes more of an incentive for evil. Cliché, yes, but oh well. :3 I'm not as creative as other people but thanks for the support and compliments!

* * *

Fic!

Needless to say to anyone else, Sess thought the ride was mainly uneventful. It had been pretty much silent, and aside from the odd glances she received, Sess was pretty comfortable. So much that she was about to go to sleep, but the scent of life, flesh, and blood kept her awake. It lured her senses, and it was a struggle for her not to do anything and lose self-control. She didn't want to feed; her master couldn't make her and she wouldn't let herself. However, if she was kept in a confined space for too long, the scent could get a little overwhelming...

Sess had no more time to ponder on the consequences of being "locked" in a car with people, because the ride was over and occupants were exiting the vehicle. What distressed Sess was not that she was amongst these strangers, but that she was now in the open as they approached the building – what Sess figured to be Kaiba's house -- or, in the very least, where he stayed for right now. It wasn't small, that she could tell. Her eyes were adapting to the darkness, but as the door opened, she had to shield her eyes from the light pouring out with a hand.

The room wasn't exceptionally fancy like a king's palace, but it wasn't decorated like the average house would be. Considerably more colorful and given a warm feeling under the circumstances to Sess; if anyone lived an abandoned house of mirrors in the cold and rain in the same change of clothes most of their life, Sess thought they would think this a lavish setting, too. Within a few moments the three had entered into a sort of lounge room, and were seated on a very comfy sofa that matched the carpet: cream.

Kaiba had waited until a house-cleaner had given them all a cup of hot chocolate with tiny marshellows floating about, until he decided to ask the questions. Naturally the doors were locked to keep out unwanted eavesdroppers; it wouldn't completely destroy their chance, but it would at least lessen it. He considered it private business anyways – why not just fire everyone? That would be stupid though. Locked doors would do.

"So, to what honor are we acquainted?" It took a moment for realization to settle in. Kaiba was talking to her. She didn't really know what to say; if she was correct this very no-nonsense sort of guy probably wouldn't tolerate "street-trash" such as herself. Or at least, that was her first impression; she came to the conclusion he was here and would help her out if she was reasonable and clear. How clear could she be without posing a possible threat, though? It confused and troubled her, and it was becoming evident as she fidgeted.

'What am I going to say? Vampires aren't favored in their world.' She thought nervously, easing her fidgets and taking a deep mental breath. 'But since I am here, I might as well try. It's got to be worth something... anything to be free of master.'

"I don't know why you've allowed me to come here, but I thank you. I accepted your offer because...I feel safer here where there are people I might be able to trust." That didn't come out as well as Sess might've hoped. Now it would seem that danger would follow her here and there was a great possibility that she could be thrown out. She took the risk though, and it was time to face whatever was out there, even if she had to do it alone. And in a sense, she was, here. There was no support as of yet.

"I assume you're running from something, then." No difference in expression except a flicker of something in his eyes. Sess nodded slowly.

Kaiba leaned back and glanced to the darker half of Yugi, who was keeping silent, thinking over the recent most unusual events – not that he was the most common thing on the face of the planet. Seeing that the yami would give him no information, he sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "I'll have to know that any friend of Yugi is a friend of mine. To be honest I don't know if I trust you, but you seem somewhat confident you can trust me or Yugi. I don't know what you're running from, and as vague as you're being I don't know if I can help you, if that's what you're looking for."

So far, she was okay. It was what she was looking for; acceptance somewhere safe. This wouldn't be safe forever, but for now she could rest a little. "If you can give me help, it'd be nice. I just...need to figure out what I'm going to do." She admitted to bewilderment at last. It wasn't that she wanted to, but she was getting desperate. Her master could have found her already – he could have followed her the whole time. That worried her, even if she wasn't in so much danger here.

Yami finally decided to speak up, cutting Kaiba off before he could say anything. "Who, or what exactly, are you running from?" Sess gave him a strange feeling; it made him uneasy. Whatever she was running from had hurt Yugi, though, and he wasn't exactly pleased about it. And Sess could feel this mood vibrating off him, which was making her more uneasy.

"I'm running from...a..." Sess licked her lips and glanced around the room, as if something could help her or save her. She had to be honest though. "...from what you know as a vampire." The reactions were fairly accurate to what she had expected: nothing. All she received were two disbelieving and otherwise blank stares. Sess's hands and body itched to exit the room in any way possible, but she remained still. Everything was okay. Why was Yami staring at her with this blood-freezing look, then?

"You say whatever it is, is a vampire. Can you this?" A slight amused smile slid on Kaiba's expression, but it didn't comfort Sess.

"Yes." That was her answer regardless of "facts" against her. Vampires weren't real in their world, not to their knowledge. What Yugi had seen was some proof, definitely – or at least something not normal. However, would he remember, was a question Sess wondered. It wasn't as if it would help any, anyways. She herself had to prove this. The mirror would work however much it unnerved her to think that they would just see a reflection, too. She did, at least; humans weren't supposed to see vampire reflections, from what she heard. The mirror it was, though; she couldn't really prove anything else – she didn't want to bear fangs because that would be threatening.

"Direct me to a mirror?" The smile faded and Kaiba pushed himself up from the sofa, leading the other two out the door and upstairs once he realized she was serious. At the end of the hall was a convenient mirror a little taller than the average person. It was taller than Sess, which suited her. The expectation as the two stood back to watch her was making Sess more than a little nervous, though.

Approaching the mirror as if something would lunge out of it, she stood before it, staring at her reflection. At least, that is what she saw. She saw the reflection of a dirty, tired-looking girl that would collapse soon if she didn't eat something soon. What the two males saw, although Sess would never know how, was nothing in that mirror. A flicker of motion made Sess's heart jump, but she realized it was just a maid. Thankfully the woman hadn't seen the three, or she might've had a heart-attack.

"So, you have no reflection." The reply came eventually to the supposed belief of vampires. There was one standing in front of them. "And you are running from one of your own kind." Sess had no response; was she like her master in any way? Were all vampires cruel and heartless blood-sucking creatures? Sess didn't think so. "You can say that." She stared at the mirror, at how worn-out her appearance was. She needed some rest, if nothing else. 'No, I need something to eat, or I'll pass out. I can't sleep like this.' Where was she going to find something to feed on, though? Vampiric animals weren't exactly a good thing. (1)

Yami turned to face Kaiba. "I suggest we get some rest and figure out something in the morning." If it wasn't already morning, that is. The ticking of the clock that Sess could see in the mirror read that it was quite late at night.

"I think that doesn't sound bad."

It wasn't long before Sess was resting in a bed, in her own room – a guess room, but it meant she could be alone. At least, that's what she thought; anyone could simply open the door and walk in. She hoped they didn't, it would scare her. Turning over to her side in bed, she hugged the pillow to herself, ignoring the desire to feed. She'd figured something out in the morning. Everything would be fine in the morning.

Outside, however, on the streets, the so-called Master was roaming about, tracing the scent of his pet. He was getting close, he could feel it. She wasn't safe for long.

End chapter 7

* * *

1. Assume here that Sess is strong in will. Animals however will just follow instinct. A dog inflicted with vampirism could pose more potential danger in increasing vampire races because it would bite freely and not necessarily as clean as a human inflicted with vampirism could act. (That didn't make sense, right?)

Questions

1. Again, any more pairing suggestions? I might, I repeat, might do it. o.o

2. Are there parts that you'd like to point out for any reason? Warning: Flames will be reflected.

3. Do you like where the story is going?


	8. Reprieve

Disclaimer – I'll own Yugioh when you can talk from your eyeballs.

Apologies: I made a typo (apologizes) in the AN section in the last chapter. Sorry. Still very slow, and I'm not really well-rehearsed in fic-writing as of late; I thought I'd try and appease the fans though. xD

Reviews:

Code:

Re - Review

Res – Respond

Re: (Anonymous; Egypt hater) UPDATE! UPDATE!

Res: Oo;... Nice name. This is an update. X)

Re: (Anonymous; Twila) I like where this story is going...now COPNTINUE IT! Oh and have Sess hook up with Yami please!

Res: I'm workin' on it girl. xD And I suppose I might for all the negativity against it (you guys aren't helping me pick pairings that much, though there are some comments).

Re: (animewolfgurl) this is good. update soon

Res: Thanks! Good to hear positive feedback! I'm updatin'! Geez!

-----

Consciousness slipped through Sess's grasp like the sand from the beach. For several hours, she was tormented by a wave of nightmares which included a vivid display of torture inflicted on her by Master. It was all she could do not to scream in the dream, and she was threads away from hollering out into the confines of the guest room. Instead, she woke, holding distaste for the cold sweat that embraced her. It was too hot in here, but one glance through the windowpanes reminded her that she was not going outside. It was a dark and foreign scene to her, and she recalled her Master was searching for her. No, the outside would not do.

Slipping out from under the expensive and soft-colored blankets, she examined herself in the mirror. It was so peculiar that humans could not see vampires in the mirror, but the actual body was quite readily visible. Was this an effect of a parallel existence? She frowned at the messy hair on her skull, and smoothed it down with a hand. It would do no good to look like a hobo in Kaiba's mansion.

The doors were unlocked, and she opened them silently, poking her head out to take a gander around the house. While it was spacious, it was not quite overwhelmingly void of substance; it was just the right size for the accommodations and inhabitants to wander around with that feeling of hominess accompanying them. One look downstairs informed her that it was devoid of people lounging around; not even servants were up this early. A clock on the wall read half past three.

Every inch of the floor being carpeted, it was quite easy to make her way onto the lower level without so much as making a sound. The triangle formed by the sofa and tables invited her, but she declined wordlessly. She was in the mood to walk off this frightful feeling that had settled to nip at her bones; at the same time, she felt feverish and dizzy, and felt in no shape to be prancing. So, it was with a solemn and reflective aura that Sess began walking onto an aimless and intangible path about the house.

It was when she was in the kitchen, and finding another person there, that she stopped. The figure was muscular, enormous, and quite intimidating. It was a man, from the looks of it, and he seemed rather infuriated at her presence. It was at this point she realized the male creature was looking at her. Confidence and safety, the reason she had accepted the drive and stay here, was suddenly quite alien to her. The young woman peered at the stranger with a lump of fear in her throat, and began to turn back. It was dark in here, and it frightened her; she would leave. It was probably just a chef.

"Stay," was the order, and she knew that voice, so she halted.

"Master?" Sess questioned hesitantly, turning her head so that she might examine the man once more. She had to be mistaken; there was no way the vampire would be here! How would he have gotten in? She had been reassured upon goodnights that the house had supreme security – but did that really hinder a top-ranking vampire? Humans were so vulnerable to magic; then again, so was she.

"You are not safe here, and you endanger these creatures. You are a worthless child to them! You have so much potential and purpose to me. I am the one that has cared for you, and you flee for pathetic mortals! They will abuse you and strip you of all that you have left that is worth anything to you! You belong to me, and you will come to me. Now, return to your home, or I will be forced to punish you until you submit."

The man was ludicrous. He did not feel like Master, but he spoke of things that only Master would dare speak. Still, regardless of whether this was Master or not, she felt horribly uneasy.

"I do not want to go," she protested, but it was weak. Sess uttered a startled gasp, feeling a hand rest itself on her shoulder. The intruder was from behind, but she did not dare turn. If that was Master in front of her, she had no permission to take a course of action on her own. If it wasn't, she was still confused and intrigued.

The mysterious owner of the hand evidently insisted that she face him. With some interference, Sess was gazing into the amethyst eyes of what she knew as a double. It was unnerving, really, more than showing some spine to Master. It had to be obvious she was disoriented and frightened, for the entity backed off and proceeded to walk past her and into the kitchen.

"I must talk with you," was the demand.

"But there's-"

Turning, Sess found that she apparently was only hallucinating. There was no man there besides Yami, no shadows and no voices. Perhaps she was far more ill than she originally suspected.

"Yes?"

"There was a spider.."

Her statement received a dubious look. 'Women.' The double thought.

"What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Sess distracted herself skillfully by taking authority for her own, to raid the refrigerator. Inside, there was an abundance of various delicacies prepared for such late-night urges as these. This was the best she could get to feeding. The yami certainly could provide her some satisfaction, but if he were the double she assumed him to be, then there was no harming anyone related to little Yugi. She settled for sifting through the goods to find something appealing.

"Yugi tells me that you helped him out of a risky predicament. The fact that I was watching you attributes to this story; I have no reason to believe that you are the threat. This man he mentions, though; what does he want from you two?"

A carton of juice was knocked over onto the floor. Thankfully, the container was sealed shut, and no liquids were staining the floor. There was a long pause. The ticking of a clock was audible. A coffeemaker began to pour out the dirty-colored beverage into the pot. There was a distant curse from outside the perimeter of the kitchen.

Sess decided to grab a sandwich, unwrapping the plastic covering from it and discarding it into the trash bin. A tentative bite proved the combination to be ham with cheese and tomatoes. It was, in fact, quite delicious, and a favorite when it came to sandwiches. The question was not forgotten, though; the food would have to be patient with her for a moment. She returned the offended juice carton back onto the glass shelf in the cooling device, and shut it.

"I don't know. He wants me back, is all I know, and he does not like me leaving Home." Sess swallowed pain, the last word bringing such unwanted memories. Home was a comforting place for most humans; for any vampire, Home was a torture chamber for either you or your victim.

"And you thought you were safe, here?"

"Yes."

Another long pause dominated the room, and Sess was content to continue feasting on the sandwich, deliberately avoiding eye contact with the darker half of Yugi. The clock beeped four times, alerting the pair that it was four 'o'clock sharp. Finally, the quiet was broken.

"Are vampires more like you, or like that man?"

Pause.

"Vampires are just normal people, like your Yugi, or Kaiba.

"The first vampire was a violator of a sacred law concerning a powerful god, so I hear. In murdering, he was forced to die, but his soul never left him. He was forced to watch all he loved pass away and die. As further punishment, the god, being angry, inflicted him with the thirst for blood. That is where the horrors found in your entertainment come. By being bitten by a vampire, you are not just being made one of us; you are cursed with eternity, in a realm of mortality. I hear you want to die after a while.

"All we vampires are, are part of the living dead. But being a double, you know what some of that is like, too, right?"

Pause.

"Yes."

Sess finished her sandwich and exited the kitchen, all too glad to have the privacy of that guest room again. Yami didn't stop her, and neither did any of the servants that had finally started about their chores. She didn't think she would have stopped had they attempted to make her.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, she was greeted with an ecstatic looking youth, and he was obviously used to being up this early. A conversation of sorts was started.

"Hi! Who're you?"

"I'm Sess. I'm a guest of Kaiba."

"Oh, so you know my brother! Are you his girlfriend or something?"

"No!"

"Just playing!" A pause. "Hey, guess what?"

"What?"

"Tomorrow's my brother's birthday! This year, I'm gonna get him something really cool! But, I don't know what to get or where to go."

"Well, what sort of things does he like?"

"Seto's really into computers!"

'Computers?' Sess wondered, and contemplated how she could help the boy.

"I'm sure anything from you will be special to him," she offered.

"Yeah, but it has to be extra special! He always gets me extra special stuff!"

"Really?" It was so difficult to feign interested, and she was so tired..

"Yeah! Come on, want to see my room? I'll show you all the stuff he's given me!"

"Alright."

A maid passing by paused in front of Sess's room, and smiled at the two strolling down the hallway. 'Oh, that girl seems nice. Mokuba is due someone to play with.'

--

"Maybe I'll hold him a really huge party!"

There was a knock that interrupted the two's secret discussion.

"Master Mokuba, your lunch is to be served downstairs, now! Your brother notes that there are no exceptions, and you are to be there immediately!"

Downstairs, the master of the household paced along the carpet, forming ovals around the long, rectangular dining table. The darker half was leaning against the furniture leisurely, watching his friend wear out the fabric.

"Where is that girl?"

"I talked to her this morning, briefly. It was early in the morning, she could have gone back to sleep."

"No, a maid reported her room empty."

"I don't think she'd leave, Kaiba. She's probably somewhere about."

"Nobody has seen her!"

Loud stomping from just outside the entrance signaled Mokuba's arrival and, much to the surprise of the other two, Sess's as well.

"Brother, I made a new friend! She's pretty cool! Where'd you get her? She said she was your guest."

"She's staying with us for a while, Mokuba. She actually is Yugi's friend, why not ask him?"

The darker half, caught by surprise by this, was in mid-sip of a drink and almost snorted into his cup.

"Naw, that's okay! What's for lunch?"

"The chef made shrimp primavera. Now sit down, I trust you remembered to wash up."

--

Lurking outside the window was an unfriendly and formidable presence. There was the Master, eager to simply break into this household and ruin these ugly, smiling human faces. Yet it was only Sess he wanted. Wait – what was this? There, that strange-haired one; was he the double of the poor boy he had brought for Sess to feed on? A double! What else made the day better?

"You have tried my patience, girl, but you are in no shape to try my strength. You belong to me, remember?"

And from the table, Sess looked up, and caught sight of the man looking in at her. Shock was plain on her face, but the others were absorbed in their meal and conversation and clearly were ignoring her.

"Hello there." A speech without words.

"Why are you here?"

"You are mine and you must return to me."

"I will not go!"

"Then all with you will die."

"You will not harm them!"

"No, there are worse ways."

"You do not mean-"

"I hope you feed well."

Sorrow sunk low and pulled Sess into her bosom. The woman fled the room, in horror at what she might do to the others. And in truth, she was barely resisting the urge to feed. She would eventually slip, and that door to the guest room would only shelter her from the outside too long. They had seen her leave; they would ask questions. Burying her head into the pillow, Sess bit into it, and allowed the stinging drops of water to roll down into the cushion.

She would not kill them. They would not die.

They were her only hope to living.


End file.
